Conceding Defeat
by Lady Greenbrier
Summary: Flynn/Eugene's point of view from the scene in the movie where he goes to meet the Stabbington Brothers on the shore of the lake. What the movie doesn't show, and when he finally concedes defeat and gives up on fighting the guards.


**Disclaimer: Why would anyone think that a thirteen-year-old girl owned Tangled? Well, if they did, I'm not sure I'd stop them.  
Me: "Why, of _course _I thought up Flynn Rider! He's so handsome, I know!"  
Yeah, I wish. **

**I have only seen the movie in theaters three times (yes, I am saying _only_ three times) and so I may not have gotten all of the dialogue-at least from the parts that were in the movie-right. Please feel free to tell me and I will correct it. **

* * *

Flynn—or Eugene; he wasn't sure who he was anymore—made his way through the darkness to the Stabbington Brothers, his heart beating a rapid tattoo against his chest. He knew what he had to do: give them the crown and leave. After that, he was free to stay with Rapunzel.

But, as usual, things didn't exactly go as planned.

"Hey! I've been looking everywhere for you guys since we got split up!" Flynn was surprised to see only one brother—he had seen both on the beach—but he really didn't care at the moment. "Those sideburns are growing in nicely." When the brother just looked up at him coldly from the piece of wood he was whittling, Flynn decided to cut to the chase. "I just wanted to say, I shouldn't have taken off, the crown is all yours, I'll miss 'ya, but I think it's for the b—"

His voice cut off when he ran straight into the other brother. His eyes widened when the one still whittling the wood.

"Holding out on us again, eh Rider?"

"What?" _No, no, no, no! Please tell me they didn't . . . ._

"We heard you found something," he continued menacingly. "Something much more valuable than a crown." His foot kicked the crown away as if it was completely worthless, the metal clanking against the rocks. "We want _her _instead."

Flynn's eyes narrowed. "Never," he said with conviction. "I won't let you take her!"

"Unfortunately for you, it seems that there are two of us and only _one _of you. What's to stop us from taking her?"

"Don't touch her!" he hissed, panic obvious in his form and the way he was inching towards the boats, his body trying to block the way protectively. The Stabbington Brothers didn't miss it.

"Oh, so you've got yourself another _girlfriend,_ have you, Rider? I must say, I'm surprised at your taste. She's pretty, but you usually go for those who are more . . . experienced."

"Stay away from her!" Flynn shouted, hoping the sounds carried back to Rapunzel and she would run away, knowing what danger she was in. He listened, but he couldn't hear her footsteps and knew she hadn't heard him. He reached down and picked up a large stick, knowing it wouldn't do much good, but hoping it would distract them long enough for him to leave.

They just laughed in the face of his pitiful choice of weapons.

"This is your last chance, Rider," one sneered. "Take the crown and go. We won't even look back. We'll leave you alone and you can go buy your castle. I think it's a good trade. We get the girl, you get a crown worth millions."

"_Never!"_

They chuckled darkly. "Alright, then."

One grabbed him from behind and the other hit him roughly on the head. He let out a strangled groan before losing consciousness.

When he came to, he felt ropes holding him in place. He remembered being imprisoned in a chair by Rapunzel's hair, but her silky locks felt much softer than the coarse ropes. He struggled against it and opened his eyes, seeing he was tied in a position so that it looked as if he was steering the boat, the crown tied into his hand.

"Rapunzel?" he groaned.

As he looked around, the boat bumped into the docks right by the castle. The guards looked at him and started rushing towards him, recognizing him as the wanted criminal.

His memories returned and he shouted Rapunzel's name in panic as he struggled against the guards.

"Rapunzel! Rapunzel!"

His heart beat quickly, each beat nearly blurring into the next. He could hear the blood rushing through him as he panicked, remembering the Stabbington Brothers' intentions.

"Rapunzel!" he kept shouting, the guards ignoring his anguished cries even as he struggled. They probably assumed she was his latest fling, but she was so much more than that. He . . . _he loved her. _Flynn Rider had fallen in love.

"Rapunzel!"

His voice echoed, everyone in the proximity turning to look at the struggling thief with an anguished expression on his face as he screamed.

"Rapunzel!"

He yelled her name as loud as he could until his voice was hoarse, even when he was deep in the dungeons and he knew that there was absolutely _no way_ she could hear him. He had to keep screaming her name because, if he didn't, it would be giving up. He would be giving up on trying to save her.

But when even he could hardly hear his voice anymore, he was forced to concede defeat. He had lost. Rapunzel was gone, taken by the Stabbington Brothers, and there was nothing he could do about it.


End file.
